The TV shows people risk death to watch
Both South Koreans (legally) and North Koreans (illegally) fell head over heels for Crash Landing On You (2019), a fish-out-of-water romance.
In most countries, good television is cheap. A monthly Netflix subscription costs less than a takeaway pizza. In North Korea, by contrast, watching a gripping TV drama can cost you your life.
Under the 'anti-reactionary thought' law of 2020, no North Korean may consume, possess or distribute the 'rotten ideology and culture of hostile forces'. That means K-dramas and K-pop, as well as South Korean books, drawings and photographs.
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Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Pressed to confess: Japan accused of ‘hostage justice'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Yo Amano says he is unravelling in a cell where he has been confined alone almost 24 hours a day for over six years, despite not having been convicted of the fraud charges against him. In Japan's harsh criminal justice system, critics say innocence is not presumed and coerced confessions help drive the 99 per cent conviction rate. 'From the moment I was arrested, I've been treated like I'm a prisoner,' Amano, 36, told AFP through a glass screen at the Tokyo Detention Centre, where he is held alongside people convicted of violent crimes, including death-row inmates. 'I'm sure something is wrong with me mentally, but I can't tell for sure because I can't even get a decent medical diagnosis here,' he said. Campaigners argue that lengthy pre-trial detention is meted out too easily in Japan, especially if suspects remain silent or refuse to confess. That often makes confessions a de-facto condition for their release, one that rights groups say exists in few other liberal democracies. This alleged use of confinement as a way to elicit confessions – or 'hostage justice' – is under renewed scrutiny after a group of victims recently filed a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Life Rock band My Chemical Romance to perform in Singapore in April 2026 Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 Singapore More students in Singapore juggle studying and working to support their families Lawyer Takashi Takano, who spearheads the suit, slammed the 'completely inverted chronology'. In Japan, 'if you contest your charges, your bail is denied and detention drags on. You get punished and robbed of everything first, sometimes before the trial even begins, followed finally by a verdict,' he told AFP. AFP obtained rare, court-issued approval to speak to Amano, who denies the charges against him. Since his 2018 arrest, he has been locked up incommunicado, having 'lost everything', including his job, partner and mental health. In summer, what little coolness there is in the detention facility filters through a small food slot into Amano's sweltering cell. Three tatami mats fill the floor space, and there is no air conditioning. For most of the day, Amano is not allowed to lie down or lean against a wall, so he spends hours sitting on a mat. The former restaurant owner says he has lost 30kg since his arrest. He can only contact his lawyers and is denied access to anyone else, including family, barring rare exceptions. This has left him estranged from the 'daughter I doted on', now seven years old, and whom he last saw in 2019. 'I don't know if she still remembers me.' Extracting confessions 'Hostage justice' – a term popularised by ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn's months-long, 2018 to 2019 detention – has been repeatedly decried by international rights bodies. The latest lawsuit challenges judges' ability to 'rubber-stamp' detentions, and to reject bail without demonstrating 'probable cause' that evidence will be destroyed, according to lawyer Takano. In Japan, pre-indictment detention can last up to 23 days, extendable by multiple rearrests. Only after indictment does bail become possible, but as with Amano, the option is often dismissed if the accused denies the charges, campaigners say. Judicial data from 2021 shows that those who confessed were released much more quickly than those who denied the charges. 'In Japan, refusing to confess or remaining silent is seen as high-risk behaviour of someone likely to destroy evidence,' Professor Kana Sasakura, a criminal law professor at Konan University, told AFP. Furthermore, detainees are typically interrogated without attorneys – a stark contrast to most Group of Seven and East Asian democracies – which makes it harder to withstand the pressure of questioning. This, coupled with gruelling confinement, attests to Japan's overall reliance on confessions, Prof Sasakura noted. 'It's a structure where, by conducting interrogations behind closed doors and isolating the suspect from the outside world, extracting confessions is made easier,' she said. Fair system The justice ministry told AFP that 'prolonged detention solely on the grounds of remaining silent or denying charges isn't occurring'. 'We don't use physical detention to force confessions,' it added, defending Japan's 'fair' and 'evidence-based' system. But T omoya Asanuma , another plaintiff in the suit, recalls almost cracking under the strain. Last year, the 36-year-old transgender activist endured almost four months of detention for charges including assault that he was ultimately acquitted of in January. 'Detectives would tell me, 'confess already, and we don't have to interrogate you so many times,'' Asanuma told AFP of the frequent, hours-long questioning. Life under constant surveillance, including when he bathed or relieved himself, was a source of extra humiliation as his body still retained biologically female characteristics. 'The thought repeatedly crossed my mind that if I falsely confessed, I can maybe escape all this,' he said. Won't betray their trust And therein lies the secret to Japan's astonishing 99-percent conviction rate, lawyer Takano argues. 'After such endless interrogations, most people break and confess,' leading to statements adopted by courts as evidence, he said. A case in point is Mr Iwao Hakamada, who was once the world's longest-serving death-row inmate. His convictions – quashed in 2024 – relied partly on confessions made during what the Supreme Court ruled were 'inhumane' interrogations. 'That's what undergirds the '99-per cent' conviction rate. But do you really trust such guilty verdicts?' Mr Takano said. In his cell with an exposed toilet, Amano languishes with little sense of the time or weather outside. The light remains on after bedtime, but he is not allowed to cover his face with bedding. But still he will not confess. 'If I succumb now and choose an easy way out, I would disappoint people who still support me,' he said. 'I won't betray their trust.' AFP
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
China widens crackdown on illicit Botox training courses
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox These programmes claim students can master non-surgical cosmetic procedures within three to four days. China's health authorities have vowed to crack down on malpractice in the medical aesthetics industry and step up supervision of botulinum toxin — an anti-wrinkle injection better known as Botox — following media reports that exposed illicit crash courses claiming to teach cosmetic procedures in just days. Medical experts warn that receiving cosmetic procedures at non-medical institutions carries risks of side effects, infections and even life-threatening hazards, and they discourage teenagers from seeking to undergo cosmetic procedures. Reports about questionable training courses that enroll people with no medical background emerged about a week ago. These programmes claim students can master non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as injectables and thread lifts, and even some surgical treatments, within a period of three to four days. The programmes have been rolled out in at least 20 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, China Central Television reported. During a recent training session in Fuzhou, Fujian province, a girl who was receiving Botox injections from programme participants in a hotel room suddenly passed out and was sent to emergency care. She regained consciousness and was discharged from the hospital two days later. The National Health Commission said on July 3 that it has instructed local authorities to verify and investigate the reports and strictly punish those involved in any illegal activities. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 World Trump says US nears trade deals as tariff effective date delayed Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Life Rock band My Chemical Romance to perform in Singapore in April 2026 Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 Singapore More students in Singapore juggle studying and working to support their families 'The commission will also collaborate with relevant departments to further strengthen regulation over misconduct in the medical aesthetics industry, promote cross-agency coordination in handling violations, and continue to crack down on illegal practices to effectively safeguard public health rights and interests,' the commission said. The commission stressed that no institution may provide medical aesthetic services without obtaining a medical institution practice license or clinic registration certificate. Physicians providing such services must possess a physician qualification certificate and physician practice license — which typically requires nearly a decade of formal education — as well as a medical aesthetic physician qualification. The National Medical Products Administration said on July 3 that it has established a national drug traceability and supervision system to monitor the distribution of Botox products and prevent illegal use. The administration said it will continue to enhance supervision over drug quality and safety and will work with public security authorities to combat criminal activities. China's medical aesthetics market is estimated to have surged from about 64 million yuan (S$11.3 million ) in 2015 to more than 300 billion yuan in 2024 . The boom has also fuelled problems such as inadequate practitioner training, unsafe practices, disorderly pricing and exaggerated advertising claims. Dr Wang Yongqian, chief physician at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences' Plastic Surgery Hospital, said harmful reactions to cosmetic injections at unlicensed facilities can include infections due to violations of strict aseptic protocols, allergies and complications caused by fake products. 'Non-medical professionals might accidentally inject fillers into blood vessels, which can lead to skin necrosis, blindness and even stroke,' he said. 'Non-medical institutions also lack effective emergency care and will not be able to provide prompt first aid in cases of severe allergic reactions or embolism.' 'Cosmetic treatments are in essence medical procedures,' he said. 'Consumers are advised against undergoing surgeries, laser or injectable treatments at beauty salons, nail studios and other non-medical facilities, or self-administer anti-wrinkle injections at home.' With the start of summer vacation for students, he also advised against minors undergoing cosmetic procedures because their physiological development is incomplete and their aesthetic perceptions are still evolving. CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Rock band My Chemical Romance to perform in Singapore in April 2026
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US band My Chemical Romance last performed in Singapore in 2007. SINGAPORE – American alternative rock band My Chemical Romance will be back in Singapore after almost two decades for a show at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 28, 2026. Tickets go on sale on July 11 at 10am via Sistic. The emo/pop-punk icons last performed here at Singapore Expo's Max Pavilion in 2007, their first show here. The New Jersey quartet are best known for 2000s emo anthems such as Welcome To The Black Parade (2006), Helena (2004) and I'm Not Okay (I Promise) (2004). According to organiser Midas Promotions, who is co-presenting the show with promoter Akselerasi Entertainment, the gig is part of the band's 2026 South-east Asia tour. Formed in 2001, the band released debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love the following year and rose to become one of the most prominent rock bands of the 2000s. At the 2006 MTV Asia Awards in Thailand, the band won Favourite Breakthrough Artist and Favourite Video for Helena. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump says US nears trade deals as tariff effective date delayed Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 Singapore More students in Singapore juggle studying and working to support their families Life Star Awards 2025: 11 looks that shocked and charmed on the red carpet Their third album, The Black Parade (2006), is regarded as a watershed release for emo music. The band split up in 2013 and reunited in 2019. In July, they kicked off their global Long Live The Black Parade Tour, in which they will play The Black Parade album in its entirety and includes dates in North and South America. The band are fronted by singer Gerard Way, who is also the author of the award-winning comic book and science fiction Netflix series The Umbrella Academy (2019 to 2024). Book it/My Chemical Romance
